ENGLAND have been given a major Euro 2020 boost after Uefa moved the Three Lions’ prospective last-16 game to Wembley.
But hopes that the country would get all of the matches stripped from Dublin have been dashed – with the three group games due to be played in the Irish capital now moved to St Petersburg.
The news is a huge positive for Gareth Southgate and his men, who can now play SIX of their potential seven games in the tournament under the Arch.
England were due to play in the last 16 – against the runner up from the group including France, Portugal and Germany – at the Aviva on June 29 if they came out top of their opening group with Croatia, Scotland and the Czech Republic.
Now, though, they will retain home advantage and play at Wembley if they can finish at the head of Group D.
It means that, if England can win the group, their path to the Final would be entirely at Wembley apart from a last eight match in Rome on July 3.
The decision was taken by Uefa’s ruling executive committee this morning after an emergency session.
Dublin and Bilbao – due to host all three of Spain’s group games – lost their hosting rights after being unable to give Uefa the guarantees demanded by President Aleksander Ceferin that fans would be allowed to attend matches.
The FA had made it clear they were open to staging extra matches on English soil, echoing the offer from PM Boris Johnson.
That appeared to open up the chance of all four Dublin games coming to the north west, with Manchester the initial favourite.
But both the Etihad and Old Trafford were ruled out when the clubs informed Uefa they will undertake major pitch renovations over the summer.
And while London remained a possibility, Sweden’s game with Slovakia is scheduled for Dublin on June 18 – the same day as England play Scotland.
Uefa’s aversion to staging major matches in any competitions in the same city on the same day ruled out any London ground.
More crucially, with all the other groups split over two venues, Uefa felt it would be unfair to make Sweden and Slovakia alone play their group matches in three different stadiums and cities.
Instead, Group E will now be split between St Petersburg and Seville. Munich finally met the Uefa demands and will keep its planned matches, including a last eight clash.
Gareth Southgate’s men are joint-favourites alongside France to win the competition as they look for their first major piece of silverware since 1966.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
